1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector. More particularly the invention relates to a lightweight and cost efficient annular corrugated coaxial cable electrical connector with a polymeric material coupling nut.
2. Description of Related Art
Connectors for corrugated outer conductor cable are used throughout the semi-flexible corrugated coaxial cable industry. Connectors for solid outer annular corrugated outer conductor coaxial cable, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,451, issued Sep. 6, 1977 to Juds et al, attach using mechanical compression between a body and a spring finger nut having spring fingers that clamp a leading edge of the outer conductor against an angled contact surface of the connector body. The spring fingers are outward deflectable, allowing the spring finger nut to be placed over the cable end, positioning the spring finger ends in a trough behind the lead corrugation peak of the outer conductor, before threading the connector body onto the spring finger nut. U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,451 is formed from metal material using metal machining techniques. A significant cost factor of this design is both the metal material and the numerous metal machining steps required during manufacture.
A previous application of polymeric materials to a coaxial connector for use with helical corrugated solid outer conductor coaxial cable is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,217, issued Oct. 11, 1994 to Gabel et al. Polymeric materials are used for both the connector body and a clamp nut, requiring multiple internal conductive elements to form a conductive path for the outer conductor across the connector. The clamp nut threads upon helical corrugations of the outer conductor and the leading edge of the outer conductor is then manually flared against the clamp nut prior to connector assembly. Therefore, the connector is incompatible with annular corrugated solid outer conductor coaxial cable, is expensive to manufacture and time consuming to install.
Both of the prior connectors described herein above also require separation of the connector elements during cable connection. Because cable connection may occur in hazardous locations such as high atop an antenna tower, separation of the connector and any additional required assembly operations creates a significant drop hazard and or installation burden for the installation personnel.
Competition within the cable and connector industry has increased the importance of minimizing connector weight, installation time, overall number of discrete connector parts and connector manufacturing/materials costs. Also, competition has focused attention upon ease of use, electrical interconnection quality and connector reliability.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector and method of installation that overcomes deficiencies in such prior art.